It is still early days into the campaign. I have approached two local independent bookstores. Corfe Books have held copies of Cogrill’s Mill for over a year now. The other, The Chertsey Bookshop, has two copies. One of the manager’s is reading it and says its good but they are yet to get back to me.

I’ve sold ten copies directly to relatives in Bristol and began a new advertising campaign with Google’s Adwords. I am also waiting to hear from the editor of a local newspaper about the possibility of an interview.

I still need to brush up on my selling techniques as I am reluctant to approach people I only know casually. I am also not sure that Jane Wenham-Jones’s tip for fly posting in local libraries and bookshops is a good idea as it could damage relationships with both.

Marketing and promotion is not easy for writers who are use to working alone and are self conscious about their work. Christmas is approaching and is an ideal time to beginning selling. Books are relatively cheap compared to other small gifts and make ideal presents. With this in mind, Peatmore Press intends to enter the marketing arena to actively promote Jack Lindsey’s novel, “Cogrill’s Mill”, and the outcome as to whether the campaign will be successful or not will be reported here.

It takes a great deal of courage for people who are shy about their work to actively shout out how wonderful it is but if their books are to be successful this is what they have to do. Fear of ridicule and being embarrassed about setting one’s self up for public display is a powerful deterrent. However, inspiration has been provided by Jane Wenham-Jones’s excellent manual, “Wannabe a Writer We’ve Heard Of”, which graphically shows the fears and lengths the successful writers must overcome so that their work can reach the public.

With this in mind, promotional badges and postcards have been prepared and armed with these Peatmore representatives have set out to woo prospective readers. The first foray in this arena took place on Friday 21st November with a stall at the local leisure centre with Woking’s One World Party. Not many books were sold but useful contacts were made. It now remains to be seen where the promotional trail will lead.

So glad to see my novel, “Cogrill’s Mill”, is still stocked by Corfe Books in Addlestone. The proprietor tells me that the shop is expanding to larger premises a few doors down. This is good news and bucks the current trend. Retailers like Corfe Books also carry out-of-print and second-hand books. Their survival should be encouraged and nurtured.

Not long ago another of my local outlets, Corbett’s Bookshop in West Byfleet, closed. It still stands with empty shelves, forlorn in the village shopping precinct. Large bookshop chains and supermarkets now dominate our high streets, which makes it so difficult for the small publisher to get their books noticed.